The sun had just painted the sky with hues of crimson and gold, yet Eldor, the capital city of Miravalia, was already abuzz of activity. Eldor was a marvel of architecture with towering spires and grand halls that sometimes seemed to touch the sky.
A warm glow casted over the training grounds where Stanley faced his mentor, Sir Joseph. This his first official training session as Sir Joseph's disciple. His tall and lean figure, with his shoulder-lenght brown hair that was often tidied than it was this morning, and a strong handsome jawline that seemed chiseled from years of utmost dedication to his beauty and appearances. His eyes, a deep shade of brown, sparkled with a fierce intensity, a testament to his unwavering commitment to becoming one of the best fighters in the kingdom.
Sir Joseph, with a short, very dark beard that just begun to drop only recently, and piercing blue eyes that seemed to see right through to the soul, watched Stanley with a keen eye. This was his first training with the lad and he knew that the young man had the potential to become one of the greatest. But as they trained, Sir Joseph noticed that something was amiss. Stanley's movements, that was swift and precise during their spar the previous day, were now clumsy and hesitant. His mind seemed to be elsewhere, and his focus was wavering.
"Stanley, what's troubling you?" Sir Joseph asked, his voice firm but concerned. "Your movements are not as sharp... Is everything all right?"
Stanley hesitated, his eyes darting around the training grounds before finally settling on Sir Joseph. "I'm sorry, Sir Joseph," he said, his voice laced with worry. "I'm just a bit concerned about my cousin, Trevor. You know him, right?"
"Yeah. I think I know him. Isn't he the one that snuck in the other night?" Sir Joseph wanted Stanley to know that he was aware of Trevor's secret visits.
"He's at the Royal Cadets Academy, and I was supposed to meet with him yesterday, but I received a message saying that I should come later. I'm not sure what's going on, and it's been weighing on my mind." Completely ignoring Sir Joseph's response, he explained what had kept him occupied.
Sir Joseph's expression turned thoughtful, his eyes narrowing as he considered Stanley's words. "I see," he said finally. "Well, perhaps it would be best if we went to the Academy and found out what's going on. You can't focus on your training if your mind is elsewhere."
Stanley nodded, a look of determination crossing his face. "I'll go now...and alone." He immediately saw the disapproval in Sir Joseph's eyes. "Oh come on now."
His voice carried the weight of his plea which shocked Sir Joseph. This boy is proud and insensible but at times he could be quiet mature. Sir Joseph thought as he nodded in acceptance.
Just in time, Mark was spotted some distance away from them. Coincidentally, he looked at training yard as Stanley was about to call out to him. From the distance, he bowed slightly. Stanley waved back energetically and signalled him to get his horse ready.
As Stanley turned to leave, Sir Joseph called out to him. "Stanley, be careful. No shortcuts! The roads can be treacherous."
Stanley nodded, his mind already racing with thoughts of his cousin and the potential dangers that lay ahead because he was definitely going to take the shortcuts. He quickly made his way to the stables, where his horseman was waiting with his horse, a majestic black stallion with a shiny coat and a spirited personality. As he mounted his horse and rode off towards the Royal Cadets Academy, he couldn't shake off the feeling that something was off.
•••
In the Golden Citadel, all of the nine highest court members, including the King and the King's Arm were present in the council meeting room also known as the Circle of Wisdom. A different kind of discussion was taking place. The seven nobles of the kingdom, each representing a different hold, sat in a circle, their faces grave with concern. King Ryler with a strong jawline and piercing dark eyes, sat at the head of the circle, and his Arm, Lord Derek Ardo, his tall and imposing figure, standing by his side.
The topic of discussion was the upcoming diplomatic visit from the neighboring kingdom, Everia, a powerful and somewhat ruthless nation that had been making overtures towards their kingdom for some time now. The king and his elders were wary of their intentions, knowing that the visitors were hungry for more land and would stop at nothing to get it.
"We need to be careful," King Ryler said, his voice firm and authoritative. "We can't let our guard down, not even for a moment. The visitors may seem friendly, but we know that they can be ruthless."
"I agree, your majesty," Lord Espin, one of the elders said, a wise and aged man with white beard. "And. we also need to be mindful. We can't afford to appear weak or divided in front of the visitors. We need to present a united front, and show them that we are a force to be reckoned with."
Derek Ardo nodded, his eyes narrowing as he considered the elder's words. "I think we should also consider shifting the Legion Challenge to an earlier date," He said. "It would be a very nice welcoming event. It'd give us the opportunity to show our military strength."
The king nodded, his eyes thoughtful as he considered the right-hand man's suggestion. "I agree," He said finally. "Let us move the Legion Challenge to two weeks from now. I think that should be enough time to prepare and make necessary arrangements."
Lord Harrison of Kalyndor spoke, temporarily stealing the attention from the King. "If I may, Your Majesty,...I don't think it's wise to do it for the purpose of military strength showcase. We do not intend to make them feel inferior or annoyed, do we?"
"There's nothing to fear in particular. We're the only nation in the world with magic. Our army divisions are the strongest. I don't think we should worry about them at all. If—by chance—they want war, we give it to them." The Chief Commander of the kingdom, Sir Allen Brose, confirmed.
Derek's voice was firm but soft. "The last thing we want now is war. Barsh and Feyland have fallen—two independent nation—on their kneels, begging for mercy. Not everybody can stand war like you and I. War brings damage. Even if we could..."
Before the King Arm could finish, Sir Allen cut in firmly. "We're neither Barsh nor Feyland...we can't..."
When King Ryler spoke, all went silent. "I do not think it is wise for us to propose war unnecessarily. Even if we would win, war isn't part of our options now." The King's eyes rounded the table, making sure he met each of theirs. " Lord Ardo, we proceed as planned. Inform the Academy Training Commander about the change."
All of the seven elderly nobles nodded. An obligation they had to perform even if either of them had a problem with the King's decision. Of course, they all knew the upcoming diplomatic visit was a crucial moment for the kingdom since their visitors had been busy over throwing kingdoms around.
They discussed more about the visit and much more about counter measures in case the Everians tries something silly. As the meeting came to a close, the king stood up, his tall frame towering over the older men. The lords filed out of the assembly hall,leaving the king and his advisor behind.